1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a system for accessing a hard disk drive (HDD) built in a computer, in which an HDD built in a standalone computer can be accessed from outside the computer, even if a power supply of the computer is turned off.
2. Description of the Related Art
If a portable computer is used in a traveling destination, it is not connected to a network, such as LAN and the like, and it is used singly (standalone). In such usage condition, a data transfer from HDD to another computer is carried out through I/F (interface), such as SCSI and the like, for example, as detailed in Japanese Laid Open Patent Applications (JP-A-H06-149718, JP-A2H06-250791 and JP-A-H10-27154.).
In the above-mentioned conventional standalone computer, a power source of the standalone computer is turned on when data of a built-in HDD is transferred to another computer.
Thus, the built-in HDD can not be accessed, if the power source can not be turned on because of any reason (if a battery is discharge, if there is no supply of a power source from an AC adapter and the like, or if it is in trouble). That is, the data can not be transferred from the built-in HDD.
It is an object of the present invention is to provide a system for accessing HDD built in a computer, in which a built-in HDD built in a computer can be accessed through I/F from an external computer, irrespectively of a state of a power source of the computer.
In order to achieve an aspect of the present invention, a system for accessing a hard disk drive built in computer includes a hard disk drive, a power supply, a controller, a power switching circuit and a signal controller. The hard disk drive stores data. The power supply supplies a power to the hard disk drive. The controller controls the hard disk drive by a internal control signal. The power switching circuit supplies one of the power and an external power which is supplied from an external computer. The signal controller selectively applies one of the internal control signal and an external control signal which is applied by the external computer.
In order to achieve an aspect of the present invention, the system for accessing a hard disk drive built in computer further includes a master/slave controller which selectively sets an operation mode of the hard disk drive. The hard disk drive has Integrated Drive Electronics(IDE) form. The master/slave controller sets one of a master mode and a slave mode of the operation mode based on the external control signal.
In the above system for accessing a hard disk drive built in the computer, the power switching circuit supplies the power when the power supply is activated and supplies the external power when the power supply is inactivated.
In the above system for accessing a hard disk drive built in the computer, one of the power and the external power is supplied to the controller, the power switching circuit and the signal controller.
In order to achieve an aspect of the present invention, the system for accessing a hard disk drive built in the computer further includes IDE-USB (Integrated Drive Electronicsxe2x80x94Universal Serial Bus) converter which connects the hard disk drive and a USB interface which is arranged on the interface for an external interface of the external computer. The hard disk drive has IDE form and is accessed by the external computer via the IDE-USB converter.
In order to achieve an aspect of the present invention, a system for accessing a hard disk drive built in computer further includes IDE-SCSI (Integrated Drive Electronicsxe2x80x94Small Computer Serial Interface) converted which connects the hard disk drive and a SCSI interface which is arranged on the interface for an external interface of the external computer. The hard disk drive has IDE form and is accessed by the external computer via the IDE-SCSI converter.
In order to achieve an aspect of the present invention, the system for accessing a hard disk drive built in computer further includes IDE-RS232C (Integrated Drive Electronicsxe2x80x94RS232C)converter which connects the hard disk drive and a RS232C interface which is arranged on the interface for an external interface of the external computer. The hard disk drive has IDE form and is accessed by the external computer via the IDE-RS232C converter.
In order to achieve an aspect of the present invention, the system for accessing a hard disk drive built in computer further includes IDE-GPIB (Integrated Drive Electronicsxe2x80x94GPIB) converter which connects the hard disk drive and a GPIB interface which is arranged on the interface for an external interface of the external computer. The hard disk drive has IDE form and is accessed by the external computer via the IDE-GPIB converter.
In order to achieve an aspect of the present invention, a method of driving a hard disk drive built in computer includes a supplying process supplies a power from a power supply or an external power form an external computer to the hard disk drive via an interface and a controlling process controls the hard disk drive by an internal control signal or an external control signal which is applied by the external computer via the interface. The external control signal is applied by the external computer when the external power is supplied to the hard disk drive.
In order to achieve an aspect of the present invention, a method of driving a hard disk drive built in computer further includes a setting process sets an operation mode of the hard disk drive. The hard disk drive having Integrated Drive Electronics (IDE) form and the master/slave controller setting a master mode or a slave mode of the operation mode based on the external control signal.
In the above method of driving a hard disk drive built in computer, the power switching circuit supplies the power when the power supply is activated and supplying the external power when the power supply is inactivated.
In the above method of driving a hard disk drive built in computer, the power or the external power is supplied to the controller, the power switching circuit and the signal controller.
In order to achieve an aspect of the present invention, a method of driving a hard disk drive built in computer further includes a connecting process in which IDE-USB (Integrated Drive Electronicsxe2x80x94Universal Serial Bus) converter is connected to the hard disk drive and a USB interface which is arranged on the interface for an external interface of the external computer. The hard disk drive has IDE form and is accessed by the external computer via the IDE-USB converter.
In order to achieve an aspect of the present invention, a method of driving a hard disk drive built in computer further includes a connecting process in which IDE-SCSI (Integrated Drive Electronicsxe2x80x94Small Computer Serial Interface) converter is connected to the hard disk drive and a SCSI interface which is arranged on the M interface for an external interface of the external computer. The hard disk drive has IDE form and is accessed by the external computer via the IDE-SCSI converter.
In order to achieve an aspect of the present invention, a method for accessing a hard disk drive built in computer further includes a connecting process in which IDE-RS232C converter (Integrated Drive Electronics RS232C) is connected to the hard disk drive and a RS232C interface which is arranged on the interface for an external interface of the external computer. The hard disk drive has IDE form and is accessed by the external computer via the IDE-RS232C converter.
In order to achieve an aspect of the present invention, a method of driving accessing a hard disk drive built in computer further includes a connecting process in which IDE-GPIB (Integrated Drive Electronicsxe2x80x94GPIB) converter is connected to the hard disk drive and a GPIB interface which is arranged on the interface for an external interface of the external computer. the hard disk drive has IDE form and is accessed by the external computer via the IDE-GPIB converter.
In order to achieve an aspect of the present invention, a method of driving a hard disk drive built in computer further includes a coupling process in which a hard disk drive of a computer is connected to a external computer via an interface, an applying process in which a power and control signal from the external computer is applied to the hard disk drive, and an accessing process accessing the hard disk drive which is activated by the power and the control signal by the external computer.
A computer according to the present invention is provided with an I/F for referring to an IDE signal to expand a peripheral apparatus, a power source switching circuit, an HDD signal control circuit, a built-in IDE-HDD and a Master/Slave setting circuit. In the computer, if a power source circuit is turned off, the built-in IDE-HDD is controlled by another computer through the I/F. That is, the built-in IDE-HDD in the computer functions as an external memory in the computer. Thus, even if a power source in one computer of a pair of computers is turned off, a data sharing and a data transfer can be done between the pair of computers.